2011 Yamaha YZR-M1 WGP 50th Anniversary, Yamaha Factory Racing

This year marks a special one for Yamaha, as in 2011 the Japanese factory celebrates its 50th anniversary of World Championship Grand Prix racing. As part of a series of ongoing activities to mark this historic season the Yamaha Factory Racing team will run a special livery for the Assen and Laguna Seca rounds.

The ‘YZR-M1 WGP50th Anniversary Edition’ will be unveiled by riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies at a special event on June 22nd, close to the Assen circuit. The unique red and white livery design pays homage to the iconic Yamaha Factory Racing liveries of the past with a modern twist, and as well as being sported by Lorenzo and Spies on their respective machines the colours will also appear on all Yamaha staff and team crew as well as the Yamaha Factory Racing team’s pit box.

A special 50th Anniversary logo is also being used this season. The logo is proudly displayed on the 2011 YZR-M1 fuel tank, on all Yamaha Factory Racing Team uniforms, within the pit garage of riders Jorge Lorenzo and Ben Spies and also on the Yamaha Factory Racing trucks.

A special website is also celebrating the 50th anniversary, with an impressive archive tracking the history of Yamaha’s involvement with racing along with detailed historical information. Throughout the season the site will be regularly updated with columns and videos along with exclusive messages and interviews of key people involved in the World Championship Grand Prix racing story of Yamaha.

Jorge Lorenzo:
“I love these colours, they really have a historic significance. Read, Agostini, they all ran similar colour schemes when they won so the opportunity to use it on the YZR-M1 is really nice. It’s a very special year for Yamaha and we hope that these colours will give us luck in these two races.”

Ben Spies:
“I’m really excited about running with these colours. It’s a big year for Yamaha and my first with the Factory Team. To be able to run a special livery like that in Assen and also for my home race at Laguna is awesome. I think it’s going to look really good and I’m looking forward to everyone being able to see it.”

Shigeto Kitagawa, President of Yamaha Motor Racing:
“It is my pleasure and honour to announce that we will unveil the ‘YZR-M1 WGP50th Anniversary Edition’ at the Assen TT and Laguna Seca race. I believe that the newly designed Red and White livery not only recollects our brilliant memories in the past but also makes us feel the power to create new history. I believe it will be great fun for the fans and racing enthusiasts all over the world to see Jorge and Ben riding to win with this special YZR-M1.”